Home Health Care and Home Care Services
Home health care provides services, so a patient can live independently in their home after an injury, or illness. Some patients want to “age in place” and enjoy some of their independence, but may require some services to complete tasks they cannot, or have difficulty performing.
These services provide help with eating, dressing, bathing, cleaning, medication management, different types of therapy and cooking. This type of healthcare gives them the ability to potentially prolong their time at home and postpone alternative types of care, such as assisted living.
Home health care provides medical services by licensed professionals, while home care service provides the day-to-day activities where the patient needs assistance.
Tips for staying safe at home
Even though people want to stay at home, it’s always important to make sure the home is safe. Below are some examples of steps that should be taken to achieve this goal:
- Remove area rugs and make sure any carpet is secured to floor in the house.
- Replace handles on doors and faucets to make them easier to use.
- Install grab bars around toilets and in the tub, or shower to help control your balance.
- Install no-slip strips, or non-skid mats on slippery floors to avoid slips and falls.
- Strategically install light switches at the top and bottom of stairs to remind you to turn on the lights at night.
- In an effort to enter and exit the house easily, install a ramp with handrails at the front door.
In order to make sure to get a proper evaluation of the home medical needs, a healthcare professional should be consulted. To learn more about home medical needs, you can reference resources such as the National Institute on Aging at https://www.nia.nih.gov/ and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging at https://www.n4a.org/
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